Winter Wonderland
by New Heart
Summary: A series of one shots imagining wintertime in Kippernium. Mostly fluff.
1. Sled Ride

**Disclaimer: All characters and settings are based on the books by Martin Baynton and the show produced by Weta Workshop.**

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Chapter 1 – Sled ride

Jester wrapped the bright blue scarf around his neck a second time as the wind blew a few stray snowflakes past his face. He had to protect those golden pipes after all. Walking beside him, Jane stuffed her hands into the pockets of her winter coat. She had originally insisted to her mother that going without a coat would help toughen her up to be a better knight. However after a chilly day of archery practice had left her shaking so badly that she had nearly hit Sir Ivon with a stray arrow, her mother's wishes had prevailed.

"I do love freshly fallen snow," sighed the minstrel.

Jane nodded in agreement. "Like a perfect white blanket. I only wish I did not have to shovel it away later."

A gust of wind caused the squire to pull her coat closer. Twisting away from the breeze, her eyes landed on the livery doors. Struck with a sudden thought, she turned toward the stables. Jester, absorbed in the wintery scenery, did not notice her abrupt change of direction for a few moments. Skidding to a stop, he turned and with a few sliding steps had caught back up with her.

"Where are we going?"

"I thought we should check on the horses. Make sure they have enough blankets."

"Smithy takes good care of them, Jane."

"Yes, I know, but lately he has been so busy working on that new invention. He may have forgotten."

Jane opened the stable door and quickly closed it behind them to keep out the brisk winter air. Just as Jester had predicted, the animals had been well cared for. They had plenty of blankets, feed, and water. With a sudden clatter of metal, Smithy backed into the stable from his small workroom next door, pulling his latest contraption behind him.

"Hullo Smithy," the female squire called.

The blacksmith craned his neck over his shoulder. "Good day Jester. Good day Jane. How would you like to test out my new design?"

As the young inventor turned towards them, the two friends got their first real look at his creation.

"It appears to be a sled," remarked Jester teasingly. Jane turned and gave him a look.

"Well, it is a sled," admitted the stable boy. "However, I developed these metal runners and a foot operated steering mechanism for it. The old sled should now run twice as fast and be three times more agile."

"Really?" Jane cried excitedly. Sledding had always been one of her favorite winter activities. Before meeting dragon, it was the closest she had ever come to the feeling of flying.

"Come on, Jester," she called. "This should be fun!"

As they walked out the castle's main gate and up a nearby hill, Smithy gave his friends a few instructions. "The person seated in front steers by placing their feet on this bar. Just push in the direction you want the sled to go."

Upon reaching the crest Jane turned to the boy in the floppy hat, "Mind if I drive?"

Jester conceded easily. "Just take care not to crash us into any trees. I am rather fond of having my arms and legs all in one piece." Smithy chuckled quietly as the squire playfully elbowed her best friend.

The seat was somewhat small, but they both managed to fit. Jester reached to grab onto the bottom of the sled for stability when Smithy stopped him.

"That is a good way to receive some smashed up knuckles. You should find something else to hold on to."

The minstrel gingerly lifted his hands and after some thought hesitantly wrapped his arms around the waist of the female squire seated in front of him. A small smile flitted across his face as she leaned back into him and placed her arms over his. The bells on the court fool's hat jingled lightly as he leaned over her shoulder to look at the hill before them. Jane knew her unruly hair was likely blocking most of his view, so she moved to tuck it behind her ear. When her hand accidentally brushed his cheek she quickly withdrew it. She hoped that the cold winter wind would be enough to explain the redness creeping up her face.

Jester's eyes grew wide as he looked ahead of them. "There certainly are a lot of obstacles. You sure this is a good hill for our test run, Smithy?"

"I need to see how well she takes turns. Just hold on tight and if worse comes to worse – bail!" With that, the blacksmith gave Jester's back a strong push.

They were off, flying down the side of the hill at speeds the minstrel had never thought possible. Fortunately Jane was a very capable driver, weaving them around tree after tree. Before long the court fool was truly enjoying himself. He let out several whoops which were quickly joined by the red-head's loud laughter. Then they rounded another tree and he spotted it.

"Rock!" the boy cried urgently.

The squire pushed her feet against the steering bar as hard as she could, but the boulder was large and they were approaching rapidly.

"Jane, we have to bail!"

"No, I can get this." She insisted.

They only had a moment or two longer and Jester knew how stubborn his friend could be. Tightening his arms around her waist, the boy pushed with all his might and rolled off the side of the sled, bringing Jane with him.

As the pair tumbled through the snow Jane heard a loud cracking behind them as wood met stone. Slowly they rolled to a stop. Somewhere along the way Jester's arms had released their hold on her. Rising to her knees, Jane spotted him about a yard away, lying very still.

"Jester!" She raced to his side, heedless to the fact that her clothes would soon be soaked through, and braced an arm on either side of his shoulders. "Jester, are you alright? Please, wake up!"

His lashes fluttered and slowly lifted to reveal a pair of disoriented, grey eyes. "Jane?"

The word was barely out of his mouth before he was engulfed by a fierce hug. "Oh Jester, you had me so worried! I thought maybe… Are you alright? Hurt anywhere?" The words came out in a hurried blur, muffled somewhere near his left ear.

Finally the girl leaned back enough that he had the breath to answer. The court fool quickly assured her that besides a dull ache in his right elbow, knee, and at the back of his head, he felt right as rain. The squire gave him half a smile then turned her head toward the wrecked sled as the boy moved to an upright position.

When she met his gaze again, it was with a very serious expression. "Thank you, Jester. I would have never jumped off on my own. You saved me from a very painful accident."

The boy went to shrug it off, but was startled when Jane grabbed hold of his shoulders and leaned over to plant a firm kiss on his cheek. The goofy grin on Jester's face when she moved away combined with the dazed look in his eyes made the squire chuckle lightly.

Smithy was already halfway down the slope and called out worriedly, "Are you two alright?"

Jester's gaze never left hers as he answered, "Everything is perfect."

Jane's eyes sparkled as she whispered in reply, "I could not agree more."

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**Author's note: Ah yes. I know the summary claims this to be a series of one-shots, but I'm afraid the updates on this project will be pretty infrequent. There will be more chapters whenever inspiration hits. :)**


	2. The Holly and the Ivy

Chapter 2 – The Holly and the Ivy

Pepper paced back and forth before the great fireplace of the castle's kitchen wringing her hands when a sudden banging noise grabbed her attention. She raced up the steps and swung open the door to the garden, snowflakes wiping around her face. The young cook wrapped her arms around herself as she peered desperately into the dark, but there was not a soul to be seen – only a pile of pots and garden tools that must have been blown over by the bitter winter wind. She made one last scan of the sky then with a sad frown she turned, closed the door firmly behind her, and trudged back to warm her hands by the fire. After several long minutes, she sat and stared at the dancing flames, nervous hands clasping and unclasping in her lap.

Thwack! The door to the garden was thrown open forcefully causing Pepper to jump up and turn quickly around. Smithy and Jester were already half-way down the steps, supporting between them someone who looked more like a snowdrift than a human. Trailing behind them, Jane bolted the door firmly against the harsh cold.

"Rake!" the young cook called out in relief.

Her long braid swished back and forth as she hurried over to wrap a warm blanket around the shivering boy. They sat him in front of the roaring fire as Pepper removed the hat she had knit for the gentle gardener the winter before.

"I found him in a clearing not far from the castle," explained the court jester.

"Thank you all for finding him." With tears in her eyes, the black-haired maid looked at each one in turn.

She placed a mug of warm cider in the frozen gardener's hands then knelt to remove his shoes and socks before plunking his feet into a waiting pot of warm water.

"What were you doing out there?" she looked up into his face and asked anxiously.

The gardener gestured to his bag. Inside were numerous branches of holly, their bright red berries a beautiful contrast to the dark green leaves.

"You said that you needed some holly for the Christmas dinner."

Pepper's gaze swung from the bag full of plants to the shivering boy. Blinking back tears, she threw her arms around him.

"Oh, Rake! You silly, sweet, wonderful boy! Do not ever do that to me again!"

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**Author's Note: Merry Christmas all!**

**I'm thinking this may end up being a once-a-year kind of update thing. So until next year - enjoy!**


	3. On An Open Fire

Chapter 3 – An Open Fire

The yule log crackled merrily in the throne room's great fireplace, its flickering light filling the room with a warm glow. Freshly cut pine boughs helped insulate the cold stone floors and added their deep earthy smell to the room. The lady-in-waiting added a final sprig of holly to the centerpiece on the wide oak table and turned to admire her work. Everything seemed to be in order for the great feast tomorrow. She hoped the King and Queen would be pleased. Satisfied with what she saw, Adeline Turnkey sank into a bench near the fire and pulled out her sewing basket.

"The hall looks lovely, my lady."

"Milton Turnkey!" she turned to glare at the man standing in the doorway behind her. "This morning you gave me only four gold coins to decorate the entire castle! How can you tell me this looks lovely? I can still remember when there was a new winter tapestry each year and the hall was filled with visiting nobles in all their finery. This…" she began to choke up, "this is nothing in comparison."

He sighed and took a seat next to her. "I know… but you manage to take what little there is available and stretch it to look like so much more. Perhaps if I can limit the King's spending for just a while longer we will see those days of abundance once again."

Adeline gave him a halfhearted smile and turned her attention back to the items that needed mending in her basket. The chamberlain knelt down next to the fireplace, reached into his pocket, and dropped several things into a metal pan before moving it over the embers.

They sat in silence for several minutes. The lady-in-waiting contentedly sewed while her husband watched the flames dance and spark.

"The yule log has been burning steadily for some days now," the chamberlain remarked offhandedly. "That boy, Rake, knew right away which log would last longest. I will need to remember to bring him to the market with me again. He knows those plants as well as gardeners twice his age."

Adeline nodded absentmindedly and murmured her assent as she worked on a particularly tricky spot in her mending. Milton leaned down to gently shake the pan, keeping it in the fire, as he continued on.

"This morning I was able to acquire a fine boar and some candied nuts at the market for a reasonable price. Combined with the dried vegetables and fruit preserves in the store rooms, we should have a rather fine feast tomorrow and at a relatively low cost.

"I did an inventory check on the remaining food supply yesterday and I believe we shall have enough to last until the spring. As long as it is not a long winter, that is." Adeline leaned up against the chamberlain as he recounted the length of the last several winters and how much food was needed for each and then went on to list the details of what had been stored away in this tower or that cellar.

After talking for some time, he turned to watch his wife at work. "Is that my mitten?"

"Yes. There was a hole in the thumb."

"How did you spot such a tiny tear? It happened just this morning when I was inspecting a crate down at the docks."

"_Tiny tear? _Why, your thumb was practically _blue_ when you came in the castle this evening!" she scolded teasingly. Then with a slight smile she added, "I know you never would have mentioned it because you hate to cause a fuss, so I took it out of your pocket and placed it in my basket. I am surprised you did not notice."

Milton took the mitten out of her hands and inspected her work. "Thank you, my dear. It looks as good as new." A sudden popping, hissing noise prompted him to rise and pull the metal pan from the fireplace.

Adeline peeked over his shoulder, then gave her husband a look of awe. "Chestnuts?"

He nodded and returned to sit next to her, letting the nuts cool slightly before removing the shells and handing several to his wife. "I asked that little cook, Pepper, to set some aside for us."

"Oh Milly," the lady-in-waiting leaned into the chamberlain and kissed him on the cheek, "you are a darling."

Milton grimaced slightly at the nickname, but wrapped an arm around his wife anyway and kissed the top of her head. "I love you, too, Adeline."

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**End Note: Merry (belated) Christmas!**


	4. is coming to town

Chapter 4 – … is coming to town

"… and that's the tale of Old Befana."

The young prince and princess's eyes glowed as they stared at Jester from their spots snuggled in the Queen's lap.

"Poor woman. She should have gone with the magi when she had the opportunity," sighed the Queen as she hugged her children closer.

The king was utterly fascinated. "So every year she flies around in search of the baby Christ child?"

"Does she really leave gifts for everyone? Really really?" added Lavinia eagerly.

Jester nodded. "To every child she comes across, just in case it is the child Jesus."

The prince sneered. "That is not possible."

"Perhaps," the bells on the entertainer's hat jingled as he shrugged his shoulders. "Yet every year, without fail, no matter where our gypsy caravan had journeyed, my shoe was always filled with small toys and other treats in the morning."

That gave the younger boy pause. As he sat thinking, his little sister clapped her hands merrily.

"Do you think she might bring gifts to us?"

"Oh!" the king squealed, "that would be most exciting! Erm… I mean, the children would find that quite enjoyable I am sure."

Queen Gwendolyn smiled over at her husband who grinned sheepishly back at her in return. Then the royal couple bid the jester goodnight and kissed their children on the head as the lady-in-waiting swept forward to gather up the little prince and princess for bed.

Sunlight was barely peeking in through the castle windows the next morning when Lavinia and Cuthbert ran into their parent's room with bright smiles and merry giggles. Each was carrying a shoe triumphantly.

"Mama! Daddy! Old Befana visited us last night just as Jester said! I got some sweet bread and a new animal," the young princess held a stuffed floppy green thing aloft. "I think I will call him Frog." She cupped a hand to her mouth and whispered conspiratorially to her mother, "He is really a prince from another castle who is under a spell. Once I find his crown he might turn back."

The beautiful lady smiled graciously at her child and pulled her up onto the bed as the prince showed off his new wooden soldier. It had a kingly crown and a shield as well as a sword. The king was quite impressed with this new toy, but before the boy could join them on the bed, he spotted something odd near his parent's wardrobe.

"What's this?"

His young face the picture of surprise, Cuthbert picked up his parent's shoes and brought them over to the bed. His father realized what had happened almost immediately and eagerly reached out his hands.

"Oooo! Look at how it sparkles!" In his shoe had been a large new pin that would work perfectly with his favorite cape.

The Queen gingerly unwrapped a piece of spice cake and smiled softly as she examined the cloth it had been folded up in. "What a lovely handkerchief," she murmured.

The family spent some time just sitting together enjoying their surprise. Later when they had come down for breakfast, the Queen called Jester over.

"Thank you for the fine presents this morning," she said. The King, his hand wrapped around hers, smiled and nodded.

The court fool gave them confused looks. "But I did not bring you any gifts. In fact, when I woke up this morning I found a piece of spice cake in **my** shoe and I have no idea how it got there. It has been a long time since I had a surprise like that." His smile was distant and a little sad, but he quickly shook it away. "The rest of the younger castle staff awoke to find similar surprises in their shoes too. So I spent this morning telling all of them the tale of Old Befana. The strange thing is… despite the fresh new snow, there were no footprints to be seen anywhere this morning."

The king and his wife exchanged looks of confusion and wonder while the lady-in-waiting, from her spot beside the royal children, let a ghost of a smile flit across her face.

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**End Note: La Befana is an Italian Christmas tradition. You should look her up. Happy Epiphany (a few days early)!**


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